The Confucius Classroom at 18th Secondary School, under the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Hosted “Ink-Blowing Plum Blossom Painting” Chinese Painting Experience Activity

On January 13, the Confucius Classroom at 18th Secondary School “William Gladstone”, under the Confucius Institute in Sofia, hosted “Ink-Blowing Plum Blossom Painting” Chinese painting experience activity. Confucius Classroom’s Chinese teachers and about 60 students participated in the event.

The teachers began the activity by using the Northern Song Dynasty poet Wang Anshi’s poem “Plum Blossom” as an entry point, explaining the plum blossom’s spiritual symbolism of resilience and moral integrity, and guiding students to appreciate the aesthetic connotations of Chinese painting. They then demonstrated the basic steps of traditional Chinese painting, with a focus on introducing the “ink-blowing” technique. By blowing the ink drops placed on the paper, students naturally formed the structure of the branches, and then added red blossoms and yellow flower stamens, giving the paintings a rich sense of depth and layering.

During the event, students focused intently on their creations, and the classroom atmosphere was lively yet orderly. Experiencing Chinese painting for the first time, they were intrigued by the “ink-blowing” technique and developed a strong interest in traditional Chinese painting. After the event, outstanding works were displayed in a special exhibition at the school.

This event, with the traditional motif of the plum blossom at its core and Chinese painting as its medium, guided students to directly experience the artistic charm of Chinese painting through a combination of knowledge explanations, hands-on practice, and the display of their works. The Confucius Classroom at the 18th Secondary School will continue to expand its Chinese cultural curriculum and, through a series of thematic activities, deepen students’ understanding of the essence of traditional Chinese culture.

Confucius Institute in Sofia

Text: Zhang Kaiyue

Photos: Zhang Kaiyue, Latchezara Pravtcheva

Editors: Chen Ying, Aksiniya Koleva, Ding Chen

English translation: Dima Pironkova